We don't have to look around very much to see that in this world, evil seems to be winning. No matter where you look - tragedy, pain and suffering seem to be lurking around the corner. But - that isn't what God created - instead it is a byproduct of sin in the world. And there is coming a future day when God will judge sin and evil with finality - destroying it forever.
That's the moment that Jesus ushers in when he opens the scroll - beginning to bring judgement against the sin in the world.